A tradition turned into art

In a small town outside of Barcelona in the fall of 1933, Josep Escoda Roig (1902-1982) envisioned and created a brush factory to produce artist brushes for decorative and Fine Art. It would be the first of its kind in Spain and despite a Civil War and difficulty in obtaining raw materials, the company developed and grew. Today, the company has produced nearly 75 million brushes with close to a million brushes being produced each year.

Josep Escoda’s vision and passion for producing the best brushes in the world continues to this day with his sons Josep Jr. and Ricard. It is is now a 3rd generation company with sons and daughters of both brothers following in their grandfather’s footsteps.

They have become a company known for their exacting standards and a conscious sense of what artists want.

In 2001, the Escoda brush factory was awarded the coveted ISO 9001/100 certificate.

This award recognized Escoda as a company consistent in both quality and efficiency in the production of their products.

From the beginning, the Escoda family recognized that superior materials create a superior brush. They insist on using only the finest hairs from such animals as the Kolinsky sable of Tajmyr, the Russian squirrel and hog bristle from China. They have also incorporated eight kinds of artificial fibers with a wide variety of colors and diameters to produce brushes that are renowned by artists around the world.

The process of designing and creating Escoda brushes in their factory begins and ends with brush artisans. Each brush is meticulously crafted by hand.

A triple crimp is applied to the brush ensuring a fixed ferrule that will remain in place for a lifetime of use.

This triple crimp design is an exclusive trademark design for Escoda. The brush is then printed with a size, brand, series name, hair type and city where it is manufactured. The handle is then formed and shaped in a way to provide an ergonomic fit for the artist.

The final step of the brush making process involves simultaneously ironing and drying the brush hair.

This special process, original to the Escoda company, consolidates and locks each hair in place creating a permanent brush shape.

It also increases the natural spring of the brush and its ability to retain the original form.

The brush is then finally finished and ready for use and as the 16th century Spanish poet, Lope de Vega once said, “It is yours the miracle of catching the sun and taking it to the Earth with your fine point and taking it back to the sky, letting itself turn into day again.”